“True Blood” doesn’t suck for Anna Paquin

HBO’s True Blood has everything. The steamy supernatural Southern saga has lots of sexy vampires, plus witches, shape shifters, the werewolves, and assorted other things that go bump in the night.

After four unforgettable mind-blowing seasons of romance, suspense, mystery, and its signature dark humor, True Blood is now in its fifth season. And HBO just announced that it has been renewed for a sixth.

The much acclaimed series stars Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a sweet little waitress at Merlotte’s bar. She has gotten into some horrible things every since she hooked up with the very hot cold-blooded vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps.

That place seems to be the epicenter for troubled blood suckers and fangbangers. But Paquin says, “I’m having the best time of my life. And I’m not just some little thing. I can hold my own no matter what situations they put me in.”

Since the beginning of the show, Paquin admits Sookie has a stubborn nature when it comes to friends and family trying to warn her about pending trouble.

“Sookie has definitely grown since she was first introduced, but she’s still stubborn,” Paquin says. “I think stubborn people get themselves in a lot of trouble, but they also get things done. And I think she’s a pretty good person to have in your corner.”

Plus, if Sookie wasn’t so stubborn, “our show would be a hell of a lot less exciting, because there would be a lot less danger for her to be rescued from,” Paquin insists.

Sookie has become more independent, and is operating from the position of not being needy this season. That decision makes her more open to interesting things happening.

Although Paquin reports that Sookie and Bill’s love for each other will always be a factor in the storylines, no one wants the characters being happy because that doesn’t make for interesting stories.

So there are more troubles ahead this season. Paquin says, “I welcome the challenge of adding to the texture of who she is. I think that any time the characters gets to do something wildly different, it’s fun, because you’re also trying to incorporate it into who they already are. As an actor, that’s an interesting challenge.”

It all helps create the mythology of the show that Paquin says, “Beats you to the punch as far as coming up with stories that have tremendous imagination and sort of shouts out ‘Wouldn’t it be really crazy if the characters did this or that?’”

Chances are that the creative forces in the writers’ room have already gone to that crazy place.

The fans love how crazy it gets, and the stars of True Blood have been treated like rock stars at Comic Con. Paquin has relished her many appearances at Comic Con and says, “The reaction and enthusiasm for the show has been mind blowing.”

MARGIE BARRON
Margie Barron has written for a wide variety of outlets including Gannett newspapers, Nickelodeon, Tiger Beat and 16 Magazine, Fresh!, Senior Life, Production Update, airline magazines, etc.
Margie is also proud to have been half of the husband & wife writing team Frank & Margie Barron, who had written together for various entertainment and travel publications for more than 38 years.